A proposed “sun tax” on use of batteries for residential self-consumption of solar energy in Spain could increase payback time from around 16 years to 31 years under a new draft Law put forward by the Spanish Government.
Germany-based PV materials manufacturer Heraeus has filed a patent infringement lawsuit against Taiwan-based PV materials specialist Giga Solar Materials Corp for allegedly infringing a patent held by Heraeus over front-side metallisation paste materials used for solar cells.
Germany’s PV market looks set to undershoot its annual target again this year, possibly failing to reach even 1.5GW, according to David Wedepohl, the director of communications and markets at the country’s solar association, BSW-Solar.
The construction of Kazakhstan‘s first utility-scale PV installation, which has already begun, will be supported with finance from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD).
Canadian Solar, ReneSola and ET Solar have been officially removed from the settlement deal between China and the EU that allowed companies to avoid punitive trade duties.
An EU funded R&D project has been launched to achieve commercially viable CIGS (copper indium gallium (di)selenide) thin-film cells with 25% conversion efficiencies.
The EU-China solar trade dispute that has now engulfed Malaysia and Taiwan looks almost certain to spread after it emerged that the company behind the case has other countries including India in its sights.
